Extension-splint.



F. P. N'OURSE. `FXTENSION SPLINT. APPucATxoN FILED luLY 29. 1914. RENEWED Aue. 2v

S14/noauto@ Patented Dee. 21, 1915.

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F. P. NOURSE.

EXTENSION SPLINT. APPucATloN man JULY 29, 1914. RENEwED Aue. 2

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

2,SHEETSSHEET 2.

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fiiivirnp srarne @TENT @WWE FRANK BYNUBSE, OF LEWISTON, IDAHG.

f EXTENSION-similar.

. appiieati'on f iea July as, isis,

T all "t0/7mm t may conc-em Y Be it known that l, FRANK l). Nonnsr., 1a citizen of the United States, residing at Lewiston, in the'county of Nez Perce and State of daho, have invented new and usefulV mprovements in EXtension-Splints, of vrwhich the Afollowingis a specification. l My i vention relates-'to' extension 'splints for surgical use, especially in treating fractures and disease of the legs, and one lof its lobjects is to provide a splint which may be easily applied,worn with ease and comfort yby the patient, and adjusted as occasion may reouireto extend the limb or to adjust the foot of the patient as may be found necessary or advisable in treatment or tol give relief to the patient.

.A further object of the invention is to V-provide a splint which may be firmly aiichored to the body and limb and employed for periodical extension, so as to overcome well known objections to continuous extenlsion splints, and by means of which -the *reference being had to the accompanying ried out with mathematical accuracy.

A still 'further object of the invention is to provide a splint which may be firmly anchored by means of adhesive plaster and bandages, and which affords other advantages and conveniences.

lThe invention consists of the* features of construction, combination and* arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, l reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which y, v

Figure 1r is a side views'howing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is'a top planv view of the same, parts-appearing in section.VV FigsB and e are'views illustrating the manner of applying the upper holding strips. Fig. 5 is a view of the foot plate and lower holding strips. F ig. 6 is an outer end elevation of the foot receptacle Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 8l is a sectional view lthrough the bearing plate and clamp. f Y

rihe device comprises an upper bearing and clamping member l, anda lower foot engaging and supporting member 2, coupled by adjustable connections, as hereinafter described. 'Themember 1 consists of VVa plate 3 of meta-lor other suitable material having a Vleather facing 1, and provided at its outer or upper endv with a hooked Speciicaten of Letters Patent.

latter having Patented Dee. 21, 1%15.

Serial No. 853,90). Renewed Augnstz?, i915. Serial No. 47,686.

v'clamping member 5, adapted for coperaset forth. v c

The'leg engaging and supporting member 2 comprises a box like foot receptacle 8, which is open at top, bottom, and at lits inner side. Disposed within said receptacle vand between the side walls thereof is a foot plate 9, of proper size to rest against the bottom of the foot of the leg to be treated.

"This foot plate is provided with 'a projectingV screw stem 10 which passes through a vertical slot 11 in the outer wall of the receptacle Vand receives a clamping nut 12. Said outer wall of the yreceptacle has a depending` portion-13 provided with a notch Vor slot le, opening through its lower edge,

which depending portion of the wall is arranged to bear against the outer face of a cross barl, against which the lower edge Vof the foot plate 9 normally rests. This cross bar 15 is provided with a screw stem 1G projecting through the notch 14 and provided with a nut 17, whereby the receptacle is adapted to be detachably applied to the cross bar. The stem 10 and nut l2 also adapt the foot plate 9vto be adjusted vertically in the slot 11, for the purpose of dislimits'. This connecting means comprises f threaded rods 18 and 19, the former having an'oflfset end 20 to engage the loops 7 and a reduced terminal 21 to interlock with a notch 22 in the clamping member 6, and the an offset end 28 terminating in a reduced threaded extension 24 passing through the bar 15 and provided with a clamping nut 25. Engagingsaid threadedY rods 18 and 19 are adjusting nuts .26 and 27 Vconnected or arranged to bearrespectively against the relative or outer ends of short and long tubes 28 and129 fitted uponsaid rods,'between which tubes are disposed one or more intermediate liller tubes 30 as re- `quired according tothe length of the connection, one end y,of each tube havingV adjoint sleeve 31 to' telescopically receive the jointion with a relatively adjustable clamping *member 6, said plate 3 being provided with receiving loop 7, for a purpose hereinafter posing said foot plate at a desired elevation with relation to the cross bar.

I body from the axilla to thehip, while the tubesV may be fitted together to form an ex-` tensionconnection between the elements 1 andy 2 of proper length according to the vlength of the aifected part and the degree of extension to be employed. i In applying the improved splint for use as an extension splint for Va fractured leg, suitable anchoring means for the element 1 and part 9 of theelement 2 are employed. yThe anchoring means associated with the part 1 at the upper end of thev body comprises aV ser-ies ofstrips 82, 33 and Sii of surgeons plaster. The strip 32 lextends longitudinally valong the outer side Yof the strips 33 and 34:, extend in opposite direc-` tionsV respectively fromthe axilla over the front of the body to the adjacent hip, and from the axillav across the back of the body to the opposite hip. rlhe adjacent ends of these strips are then joined and lapped to form the tongue arranged to bear againstV the crossed portions of theY strips or at the axilla, and the tongue 35 bent backwardly into engagement with the hook 5 and held pressed therein by the'clampingmember 6,- with which the rev duced end 21 of the threaded rod 18 is then engaged to hold the parts in clamping position. Abroad binder or bandage 36 is then Vfirmly applied over the strips and element 1 yandgabout'the bodyfrom theelement 1 to .the hips and rmly secured with safety pins. A strip 37 of surgeons plaster is then extended centrally across the foot plate 9 and terminally along each side of the leg .to which itirmly adheres. After which the-foot plate is fitted wit-hin the receptacle 2V and secured in position so that it` will rest upon the cross bar 15 which supports the foot fromY the bed or couch, after which the nuts 26'and 2"( are properly adjusted andthe tubes 28, 29 and 80 applied to form the stretcher or extension connection and bracetohold the limb rigidly in set position, the leg being bandaged from the ankle to the knee, as indicated at 38. A placing Y of the splintv is then completed, and the extension of vthe-limb should then be com'- menced and carried out as followsz-With Ythe hands grasping the vbar 15, the leg is slightly raised from thebed by gently pulling,.the legis then drawn out until a part of the shortening is overcome, but in this operation not much forcefisemployed, as r the plasters, as yet, have lnot become thoroughly or fully seated. The nuts are'then Setjsothat the splint will hold the extension beam, and this process of extension is peri- 35.' Theelementl is then Aient and effective manner the wellknown objections to continuous extensions-is avoided'v e f 'and Vthe patient granted long intervals of; rest and relaxation between 'the extension period. .This modeof periodical and fracftionallyV extending the limb lreduces the vamount of worry and anxietyl onithe Vpart 'A of the patient and avoids thefnaturaltendency of the patient to work his body-toward the foot of the bed until the foot reaches a Vpoint ofl resistance to vgain relief, allowingv the ends of the fractured bone to again overlap, the objections Vto which are evident. The present device overcomes these and v other objections, and lhence allows the patient to have a greater degree of comfort 'and to sleep well. V.The desired advantages are gained by Vthewuse of anchorages of ad*v Vhesivev plaster, which render the. present form of extension splint Vpossible and practicable, the deviceas awhole being applied directly to the body. Y j I y It will be apparent fromthe foregoing that by means of my improved splint the-leg can be extended with almost mathematical accuracy, while the patient is permitted to move about in bed and may .be bolstered up with pillows, so that he.V can readortake food and drink readily. It will be observed that the threaded extension rods are bent or olf- Vset so that the extension tube' is disposed a rsufficient distance from the leg; to allow of the application of; a plaster of Paris cast, orV retention splints, or, dressings as the yoase may require. Should it be desiredto-ro- 105 tate the foot,jeither outward or inward, this may be done by looseningthe lower nut 16, turning the foot andreceptaclein the desired` direction and then retightening the,y

nut. It oftenhappens that the resting of 110 v the heel of the foot onv thebed irritates-the i heel'to a painful degree. This may beove'rf 4come' by loosening Vthe nut'12, raising the foot plate 9, by which the vfoot will be elevated, and then retighteningV the nut. .Byw'll this means the heel may be raised to any point desired for the purpose yof relief.V ZW'here separation of joint is required, asin case of disease, -or for operation on the joint,

the leg may.l beVV extended to the desired le-'V120 f gree by the extension means within the discretion of the surgeon. v Y A:[claimzfi Y.

1. In an'extension splint, the combination o'f--a body engaging member, a foot plate, ar 125 box-like lreceptacle in which saidl foot plate y.is disposed, an adjustable,jconnection be- .Y

tween said foot plate and receptacle,'a bar carrying said receptacle, rods carried by the; body engaging member and the said bar, 130

and a sectional Connection between said rods, the ksections of said connection being detaohably coupled.

2. In an extension splint, the combination of a body engaging member, a foot plate, a

box like receptacle in which said foot plate is disposed and with which said foot plate is connected, a bar carrying said boX like reoeptaele, and threaded rods carried by the body engaging member and the said bar, nuts adjustably engaging said threaded rods, and a sectional connection between the rods and terminally engaged by the nuts, the sections of saidoonneetion being detachably coupled.

3. In an extension splint element, the combination of a body engaging member, a box like receptacle, a foot plate adapted to bear against the sole of the foot of the wearer, said plate being disposed within and adjustably mounted upon said boX like receptaole, a cross bar, means for detachably and adjustably connecting said box like receptacle with said cross bar, threaded rods carried by the body engaging member and cross bar, nuts upon said rods, and an eX- tensible connection engaging the ends of the threaded rods and disposed between the nuts.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK P. NOURSE.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR E. CLARK, SAML. Y. JOHNSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

